In a radical departure from conventional policy policy, North Wales Police Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom told his police authority a Royal Commission should examine legalising some or all illegal drugs.
Mr Brunstom said that, despite billions of pounds and thousands of officer hours, the number of addicts and "recreational users" of illegal drugs in the UK has multiplied at an alarming rate since the 1970s.
It is his belief that the war on drugs has already been lost.
The police authority backed his calls during the meeting at Colwyn Bay.
Mr Brunstrom argues the political consequences and effects on society of a serious crackdown on drugs would be too severe to be realistic.
The free movement of people and goods would have to go, to be replaced by a fortress mentality and a police state, he claimed.
"It might just work but the consequences are not palatable," he said.
'Timid approach'
Mr Brunstrom compares the current situation with alcohol prohibition in the USA in the 1920s, which was an "unmitigated disaster".
He maintains a more successful enforcement of the drug laws would actually make things worse and wants a Royal Commission to look into the UK's future drugs policy.
He is also urging them to welcome Home Secretary David Blunkett's recent announcements on government policy.
But he describes Mr Blunkett's moves to legalise cannabis as "timid."
Mr Brunstrom said there is no particularly sound logic to the pattern of proscription created by Britain's 1971 drugs legislation.
"Public opinion is moving rapidly," he told BBC Wales.
"There is evidence to show a main plank of our strategy - to control availability - simply isn't working.
"The consequences of that in crime and societal health are quite frightening - it's time to consider an alternative."
He said simply fighting the war on drugs harder would not work and other options had to be considered.
And, he claimed, North Wales Police was "punching above its weight" within the existing law.
The UK spends £1.6bn each year on drug-related activity - a £1bn on reacting to the consequences of drug misuse through the criminal justice process.
There were currently 200,000 problem drug users in England and Wales, representing about 3% of all drug users.
Former Gwent Police chief constable Francis Wilkinson, who recently called for heroin to be legalised in a bid to cut street crime, supported Mr Brunstom's view.
"There seems to be a lot of common sense in what he is saying," he said.
"The current drug laws make the situation worse and any form of legalisation would be preferable.